Metamodeling the e-waste domain to support decision-making

Abstract

PurposeThis paper proposes a conceptualization of the e-waste domain, formalized through a metamodel, to express complex e-waste realities in a simple manner. This also enables the transition from a structural model to a behavioral model to implement analysis techniques.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology used is design science research (DSR), a problem-solving paradigm which seeks to construct a working artifact and prove its relevance. The artifact, a metamodel for the e-waste domain, was constructed through an iterative manner and later analyzed to conclude its theoretical relevance and contributions in this domain. As part of the approach, the authors used supplementary techniques such as systematic literature review (SLR), conceptual modeling (CM) and system dynamics (SD).FindingsThe application in the e-waste domain of CM techniques such as metamodeling, model-to-model transformation and simulation is valuable for supporting decision-making, especially when combined with SD. The approach presented in this paper, the conceptual tools and different simulation techniques could also be applied in other complex domains to obtain similar results.Practical implicationsThe modeling method to apply simulation techniques is targeted toward the e-waste domain experts to understand, design, implement, measure and improve strategies and public policies.Originality/valueThe use of CM techniques to model and analyze structural and behavioral e-waste scenarios.